Harvey Proctor: VIP child abuse ring claims ‘ravings of a fantasist’, ex-Tory MP tells court

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Mr Proctor told the court: “There was no Westminster paedophile ring.” He also poured scorn on what he called the “extraordinary” step previously taken by police of describing Beech’s allegations as “credible and true”. I don’t believe they took place.” Questioned over the townhouse murder allegation, Mr Proctor said: “Not true, I had nothing to do with that, I do not believe that took place, these are more ravings of a fantasist.” When he was interviewed by police for the first time for six hours in 2015, Mr Proctor told officers they had got it wrong. The 72-year-old said he slept badly the night after detectives from the Metropolitan Police’s murder squad searched his property in connection with “historic child sexual abuse” for 15 hours, and that he had inadvertently left his television on as he went to bed. He said: “I looked up at the television screen to see my face looking back at me, and a story ran on the head of the BBC news television programme that my property had been searched in connection with historic sexual abuse, including child murders.” Mr Proctor said he had been determined to face the allegations and went on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, where he said he knew little about the claims against him and it was a “Kafkaesque situation, a horrendous, irrational nightmare”.